You can’t outsmart the past in The Card Counter, the latest from writer/director Paul Schrader.
William isn’t living a glamorous life, but it’s better than where he’s been. The skill he’s developed for counting cards lets him scrape by, and a fortuitous meeting with a woman willing to invest in his particular skill has things going in a promising direction. Then a young man turns up who brings his troubled past to the surface with promises of revenge, and William must decide whether to take the bait or steer them both towards something better.
That setup may seem familiar, but you know Schrader will take it in all sorts of dark, deep directions. The legendary writer of Taxi Driver has long been making movies of his own to varying success (I mean, he’s recently made both First Reformed and The Canyons), so while you can rest assured that Card Counter will be challenging, there’s no guarantee it’ll be worth the confrontation.
The film reunites Schrader with frequent star Willem Dafoe, who plays the man who messed up William’s life. It’s the great Oscar Isaac who gets to play the titular card counter, with Tiffany Haddish and Tye Sheridan also co-starring.
With this strong of a group behind it, The Card Counter seems like one of Schrader’s surer bets.
The Card Counter is directed by Paul Schrader and stars Oscar Isaac, Willem Dafoe, Tiffany Haddish, and Tye Sheridan. It will be released in the US on September 10th, 2021 and in the UK on November 5th, 2021. For international release dates, click here.
Will you make a bet on this one? Let us know in the comments!
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